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    Every Soul a Star
    Every Soul a Star
    Every Soul a Star
    Audiobook8 hours

    Every Soul a Star

    Written by Wendy Mass

    Narrated by Jessica Almasy, Ali Ahn and Mark Turetsky

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Winner of the ALA Schneider Family Award, Wendy Mass has had her fiction for young readers honored with a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Book Sense Children's Pick. Every Soul a Star is the tale of an extra-ordinary occurrence related through three very different perspectives. Unlike the thousands converging at Moon Shadow to witness a total solar eclipse, Ally calls the isolated campground home. Bree shields herself in a cloak of good looks and popularity, but there is something within her no one suspects. And Jack, overweight and socially inept, finds himself on the verge of startling possibility.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMay 8, 2009
    ISBN9781440719073
    Every Soul a Star
    Author

    Wendy Mass

    Wendy Mass is the New York Times bestselling author of The Candymakers series, Bob, and many other novels for young readers, including the Schneider Family Book Award-winner A Mango-Shaped Space, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life (which was made into a feature film), Every Soul a Star, Pi in the Sky, the Twice Upon a Time series, and the Willow Falls series that began with 11 Birthdays. She and her family live in New Jersey.

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    Reviews for Every Soul a Star

    4/5

    304 ratings35 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The lives of three young people intersect and transform against the backdrop of a total solar eclipse. Homeschooled Ally has grown up at the remote Moon Shadow Campground, which her family runs. An eclipse, which can be viewed only from this site, is approaching, and ahead of it come Bree, an aspiring model obsessed with popularity, and Jack, a reclusive artist and avid sci-fi reader. Ally's sheltered world is about to open up as she discovers that her parents plan to cede management of the campground to Bree's parents after the event. Neither Ally nor Bree is excited about the prospect, but as the teens interact they come to terms with the changes they face. Meanwhile, introverted Jack finds himself making friends and becoming a leader. As they go their separate ways, all three approach the future with a newfound balance between their internal and their external lives.
    • 3/5
      Ally loves living at the Moon Shadow campground in the middle of nowhere. Now thousands of people are coming to see a total solar eclipse. Bree hopes to become a fashion model, and has no interest in living in the middle of nowhere. Both their lives and their attitudes are about to change.
    • 4/5
      Kids figuring out who they are and what their place in the world might be with the help of a solar eclipse and the beauty of nature. Enjoyed the science and astronomy info, and it was cool to read this story after seeing a solar eclipse myself in august!
    • 5/5
      For a book that I thought suffered from a slow start, this one really came together by the end. I was fascinated by amount of character growth that occurred even if it did seem artificially fast growth at times. You really can learn about astronomy as well. I like that Wendy Mass didn't soften the hardship of the experience but instead focused on learning to deal with change and learning to grow from accepting it. I felt bad for Ally, smugly satisfied that Bree was thrown out of her superficial comfort zone, encouraged and tormented for Jack, but hopeful for every one of them. That's the sign of a great job at character development. When a reader is drawn to a character even though they are flawed and unfairly burdened in some cases.
    • 3/5
      Very excellent story. Ending was perfect.
    • 4/5
      4.5 stars for me. Thanks Wendy for not introducing an artificial crisis to insert some excitement into the story. Some folks might object that the kids go through so much growth in such a short time, making friends with new kids almost immediately... but they are young teens, and it is a summer situation, so I totally found their inner & interactive dramas plausible. And adorable. I don't know whether the 'tweens and young teens would like the book, though. No super-powers, paranormal stuff, anorexia or cutting, abuse... just a very nice story.

      I think the parents are all pretty misguided, however. What do you think about them?
    • 4/5
      This is a sweet story where some unlikely friendships are formed. It's not a quick read but well worth taking the time to give it a chance. There is a character for almost any reader to relate to in this book.
    • 5/5
      Amazing book! Want to do a read aloud to my new 5th grade class, it was that good!
    • 4/5
      Don't get me wrong, I liked this book but I felt something was off. Firstly, the main characters "felt" older to me. Ally came across as more responsible and mature that the average 12 year old, while Bree came off is too worldly for her age. I also was looking for something a little more climactic toward the end and I felt it was a bit flat.

      I did like the characters and the way the book was written from each perspective. I enjoyed Ally's straight-forward love of live and simplicity. I also liked the fact that she and her brother got on so well. Bree was not really a likable character as she was incredibly self-centered but I appreciated her growth and acceptance of her blossoming "inner-geek." However; the truly inspiring character was Jack. A lump by most standards who realized he was more and he could be more.

      I am looking forward to sequel that will bring these characters back together and perhaps bring them closer to the stars.
    • 5/5
      This book is smart and funny and full of heart.In this story, the lives of four preteens come together at Moon Shadow Campground, where hundreds of people are converging in the summer for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a total eclipse of the sun in mainland America. Ally Summers, almost 13, along with her younger brother Kenny and her parents, live on the campground and manage it. But as the book begins, the kids find out that their parents will be transferring ownership after the eclipse to the Holdens, about to arrive with their 13-year-old daughter Bree and an 11-year-old sister Melanie.Two similarly-aged boys will also be at the camp. Jack Rosten, somewhat overweight and a loner, is asked by the science teacher who flunked him to help on the eclipse tour instead of attending summer school. Jack jumps at the chance to avoid summer school, even though he is not much interested in the stars, which make him feel even more insignificant that he already feels. Ryan Flynn, a year older than Ally and a longtime family friend who comes every summer, now has suddenly matured in ways Ally doesn’t understand. (Ryan, while central to the story, is not one of the narrators; the chapters alternate among Ally, Bree, and Jack.)All of these kids have problems. Ally, an astronomy lover, doesn’t want to leave the clear skies and natural beauty of Moon Shadow. Bree, a fashionista and aspiring model, doesn’t want to leave city life, with its malls, its emphasis on appearances, and her friends. Ryan is trying to figure out who he should be, sort of like a personification of a cracking male voice. And Jack doesn’t want to be anyone - just invisible.As you might expect, all of them end up helping each other, and becoming great friends to boot. It’s a wonderful book, and has some very funny parts. Best of all, each of the kids is lovable, and each finds out that being true to yourself is more important than, say, having a good hair day.Discussion: The author does an excellent job of creating tweenaged characters with all their uncertainties and hopes and that mixture of child and adult common to this age group. She also shows that while kids may be powerless to affect the decisions made by adults, there is plenty they can do to make the best of the changes in their lives.In addition, the author is obviously a great fan of astronomy, and she conveys her enthusiasm for the stars through the book’s characters. She also includes a section in the back with notes and suggestions for further reading.Evaluation: This heart-warming story combines endearing characters with good messages, science facts, drama, and excitement into a book that ends in a way bound to please everyone. Highly recommended!
    • 4/5
      Lovely story told in alternating viewpoints during a solar eclipse at a campground. I've become a big fan of Wendy Mass.
    • 4/5
      So here's the thing about books written for kids - sometimes they treat kids like they are stupid. Or ... if not stupid, just lesser, less than. They're too broad: They give you that same uncomfortable feeling that your Dad's jokey best friend always gave you - you knew he was trying to be funny, but the joke missed its mark by a long shot, and yet you were still required to stand there with a grimace-y smile plastered to your face until enough time had passed that it wouldn't be rude if you just walked away? Yeah: like that.

      Those kind of books make me feel sad for the writer, as if the author has forgotten all about their own childhood - the triumphs and tragedies and joys and jealousies. The fact that sometimes days would pass when you would barely see anyone besides your parents, and other days you would see so many people you thought the world was in your yard. The way that you could sit for hours imagining dolls and dresses and balls, and how one day, long after all your friends had stopped playing with their dolls, you found that they held no appeal for you either, even though you sat for hours, trying to make the magic come back. It's a tough thing, writing childhood true enough that it hits all the right notes for people, without condescending or writing down to them. In my opinion, it's most especially difficult - and most obviously evident - when an author is trying to portray the chaos that is tweenage-hood, early teenage-hood, middle grade fiction fodder. Those years where people expect you to be responsible enough to do your own dishes or get up when the alarm goes off, yet you're still young enough, and dependent enough that you're pretty powerless when it came to making the big decisions that would effect your life.

      The good news is that Wendy Mass (whose 11 Birthdays I also found this summer) is exceptionally good at writing this kind of book. She manages to capture that weird sense of self-confidence, mixed for the first time with a heavy dose of self-doubt, that is so characteristic of this age group. She writes the flustered adolescents' amazing highs and unbearable lows with the same amount of dignity and respect that any good novelist would use for their adult characters. That's the thing I often find is lacking - people who write books for kids but forget that kids are whole people - not caricatures or flat set pieces you can move about for the advancement of your plot - but whole, actual people, whose thoughts and feelings and actions and reactions are just as vital as those of any adult character - and in a book aimed at an audience of similar readers - even more so than an adult character.

      And Mass does this brilliantly, as she introduces her three main characters, and takes us through the whole of the story from each of their perspectives. I loved the book, the split perspectives, the changes in voice and tone and thought patterns as the plot evolved. I loved the characters (well, mostly) and the fact that there were 2 girls and a boy, and yet very little in the way of 'love triangle-ing' or 'romantic pondering'. And I loved the science! So much science, and artsy stuff, and random hippy-dom, and being girly and liking to wear makeup: and best of all, none of those things was seen as dumb!

      Just a side note, in regards to the science portion of the book: I shared part of it with my nephew, in an attempt to interest him in stargazing and total solar eclipses, and the two of us have promised to be in prime viewing position for the next one (8-21-17, if you're interested). He will have his license by then (shoot me now), and we are road tripping it to somewhere with a spectacular view.

      Anyways, have added Wendy Mass to my Author's I Autobuy shelf, and will be glomming her backlist, (which I am glad to see is quite long). Because she does it right, and there's nothing better than that.
    • 5/5
      Wonderfu story about 3 teens discovery who they are and there places in the world. Great read. Highly recommend for everyone.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book - funny and heartwarming - perfect for that inner geek in all of us.
    • 5/5
      Love this book. A great story very well written. Lots of astronomy so add the science curriculum tie in. Could work as a crossover since reading level is 4.7. Obesity tie in.
    • 5/5
      I spent the better part of yesterday with this book and loved it. Chapters and point of view alternate between Ally who loves her life at the Moon Shadow campground with her knowledge of nature and the stars, Jack who failed science so is coming to view the eclipse with his teacher in lieu of summer school and Bree who is so not into science and geekdom and so into her looks and belonging to the in group. They all grow in their awareness of their world and themselves in a story well told.
    • 3/5
      Listening to audio edition - so far the narration for all three characters is excellent except for one tiny instance where a bit of dialogue slides slightly out of the already established vocal patterns. Still, I'm definitely enjoying it right now, although I haven't seen enough plot yet to cover 7 full audio CDs and since I've previously thought some of Mass' titles dragged on, I'm a little worried about that here.
    • 1/5
      This is terrible. Nothing happens! Some kids might like it, but if I didn't have to read it, I wouldn't have finished it. Yuck-o.
    • 5/5
      This is one of my favorite books about changing your self into a whole new person and spending time with friends and workin hard to achieve your goals.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book ! You have to pay attention because each chapter changes perspectives of the story between 3 different characters. These 3 characters learn about themselves and each other while experiencing a rare total eclipse of the sun. Although it's a realistic book, it seems quite magical! :-)
    • 5/5
      The lives of three young teenagers are changed when they view a solar eclipse. Bree, who cares only about being popular and her looks; Allie, pretty much Bree's opposite, lives in the middle of nowhere and couldn't care less about her appearance; and Jack, overweight, overlooked, with no self confidence. When they meet at an isolated campground and prepare to view the eclipse . . . they learn about more than astronomy, they learn that they have strengths, talents and interests that they never knew about.This was such a joy to read! My 12-year-old daughter read this in 2 days and recommended it to me and I enjoyed it every bit as much as she said I would. My other daughter is reading it now and then we plan to go to the Griffith Observatory, as all of the information about the eclipse was so darn interested . . . but worked so well into the story that it doesn't feel like you're learning anything. Highly recommended to 5- 8 year olds.
    • 5/5
      Every Soul A Star * * * * 1/2 In this bustling three character novel, Every Soul a Star, three kids, Ally, Bree, and Jack, make their way through common teenager struggles, for example, popularity and changes in their lives such as moving away or parental struggles. This book starts out with you meeting a girl named Ally, who lives on a campground called the Moon Shadow, which her parents own, in which eclipse chasers and stargazers go to. Basically it’s an astronomy camp. She has not seen the real world since she was born because the Moon Shadow is located deep in the wilderness and her parents moved there after she was born. Her only entertainment are chores and stargazing, until she finds out that she is moving, and another family is taking over the business.One of the girls who live with that family is named Bree. Bree is a fashionable prom queen who just found out that she is moving away from her glamorous lifestyle in the city to the old campground. She is totally mortified because she had to leave her friends behind and by the look of the campground, which was old and dirty. I personally loved Brees character most of all because she was extremely mean to a point, she was ridiculous.The two then meet a boy named Jack, who has come to the camp for an out-of-summer school acceptation trip with his teacher Mr. Silver to watch an eclipse.Through the book a lot of things happen such as, Ally and Bree devise a plan to not move away or to move into the camp but that fails. The three also discover an exo-planet and watch a majestic eclipse. I gave this book 4 and a half stars because of a lot of reasons. Here is some of the reasons why.When I started reading this book I thought it would be too long, with 330 pages, but it was very enjoyable. I just love when Wendy Mass writes about moral issues such as judging yourself and popularity. She shows judgment in the quote, “I’m here two hours and already I messed up”. “What if Pete had died because I couldn’t follow a simple instruction?” You can see that Jack always looks down at himself from just that quote, but Wendy Mass made it that it set up Jacks character and it shows the reader not to be judgmental of yourself. She also showed popularity in the quote, “See how my eyes look even bigger now? And big eyes are good? Why?” and “This girl is hopeless. They just are”, I tell her. “Who would want small eyes?” This made me think automatically of a diva that has a modeling career because Bree is so engrossed with her looks. This made me not want to listen to her from that point on because I do not like mean girls ruining a good story, but then she softened up and it turned out that I did like her.I have very little criticisms. The only major one is, in my opinion, third perspective books are not my usual reading pattern. Long story short is that I don’t like them but that’s just my opinion. In this book it was especially true because each character had its own section in every chapter which made the book very long for me at some points. Sometimes there were some parts that weren’t even necessary such as the licorice case that the old lady in the pink sweat suit had. Although at some points, I loved the three section chapters, because Wendy Mass created overlapping stories. At the end of the stories, there were always cliffhangers, and I love the suspense of a good cliffhanger. In my opinion all of the information that was in each section, daily life and human struggles, could have all been put into a one perspective book, making Ally the main character. I say Ally, because I think she is most important because the story generally revolves around her campground and about her moving. Other than that, it was an amazing book, but now I have to wait for the next one just like it.
    • 4/5
        Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass is a wonderful book combining three completely different lives of teenagers. Ally, Bree, and Jack had no idea they were about to meet each other let alone that they didn’t even know one another. The only reason why they do end up meeting in the story is because of one major event… an eclipse. Bree and Jack head off to the campground where Ally already is. Now, Ally is already there because her parents, her little brother, and she run the entire campground. As the story continues you really get to know the characters along the way, they slowly “unravel” into really showing themselves to one another the more they get to know each other. When I read the book Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass I really felt like I was there throughout all of the commotion and drama. I also felt like i was there throughout all of the twists and turns. I always wanted to pick up the book and get to look forward to what was going to happen next. I loved reading this book because I could really relate to a couple of situations throughout the story. This book really caught my attention to reading and I was hooked ever since I picked it up. Out of all of the books I have read this would definitely be one of my top choices. I rated this book four stars because I really truly enjoyed reading it. Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass was definitely worth my time reading and worth my reading experience. I really hope this book will be worth your reading experience as well. - Veronica
    • 4/5
      Set at camp Moon Shadow, where people are gathering to see a total eclipse of the sun, three teenagers are brought together, Ally's family has run the camp and Bree's family is going to be taking over the camp, while Jack is there as his teacher needs help and promised to get him out of summer school. Unlikely friendships develop during the two weeks. A touching story where I picked up some astronomy knowledge.
    • 4/5
      In the beginning of Every Soul a Star, by Wendy Mass, Ally opens the story explaining her isolated life at the Moon Shadow Campground, the campground her parents own. The special thing about Moon Shadow is that it is the only spot in the world where a complete solar eclipse is visible every hundred-or-so years. By the middle of the book, two characters, Bree and Jack, are also introduced. Bree is nearly certain she is adopted because despite growing up in a family of science geeks, she dreams of being a model. She’s pretty and popular, and she refuses to wear anything not designer brand. Jack is an overweight, lonely student who has failed science. His teacher says if he signs up for the Moon Shadow eclipse-viewing trip, he won’t have to repeat the class over the summer. Bree’s parents are astrophysicists, and they have agreed to take over the Moon Shadow campground after eclipse season so Ally’s family can adapt to civilization. Both Ally and Bree are repulsed by the idea of leaving their homes, and even more disgusted by the idea of change. The book ends with the three newfound friends watching the beautiful eclipse, where they can see what is probably the most beautiful view of that solar eclipse. (322/322)
    • 5/5
      Dina Patel, Every Souyl a Star is a mystrious book. ally lives right in the middle where an eclipse is going to hit in just amount of weeks. Ally is down to earth person she has never cared about what she looks like. But thats all going to change when Bree a girl who cares nothing but looks comes to take the campground from Ally. Neither wants to switch but their parent do. Then theres Jack the guy whose failing and has to go to summer school and his teacher told him if he assisted the eclipse tour than he won't have to go to summer school. 3 lives are about to change forever
    • 3/5
      Ally has grown up living in an isolated campground since she was four. She has a love for all things astronomy and cares very little for things that most teens her age would care about.Bree is the stereotypical teenager. She characterizes herself and others according to popularity, and cannot imagine living a day without makeup and designer clothing. Jack is a loner--he enjoys reading science fiction, drawing, and being alone. He failed his science class due to lack of caring, not lack of ability and would do anything to get out of having to go to summer school.Ally, Bree and Jack's lives suddenly merge after a series of events that bring them to Ally's beloved campground. Bree learns that her parents are picking up everything and moving to the middle of nowhere to manage a campground where they can further their research. Ally learns that she is leaving the campground she loves so much because her parents want to give her and her brother a life of more opportunities. Jack learns that the only way out of summer school is to go on a trip to the campground where his teacher needs help with an astronomy project.All three teens grow up and evolve in this book in a beautiful way. It is a simple and direct read without complicated characters to memorize. If you are looking for a nice book about growing up, you will love this one.
    • 4/5
      Let me begin by saying that I found out about this book because of my (former) babysitting charge's hearty recommendation. She just finished reading this with her mom and they both loved it. I love it when 13 year olds tell me that I simply must read a book!Ally, Bree, and Jack tell their stories in alternating chapters of their experiences at the Moon Shadow campground, building up to a solar eclipse. I was immediately drawn to Jack and really found his thoughts resonating deeply with me. I think he reminded me a little of myself at 13 or 14. Mass includes just enough elements of astronomy to pique your interest without making you feel like you are -gasp!- learning something, which is just perfect for the target audience of middle schoolers.Ally lives at the campground with her family where she is homeschooled. Bree, dragged to the eclipse by her family is the stereotypical mall-bound and materialistic tween, which leads me to my only complaint of the novel. I felt that Bree's character was too one-dimensional and predicable for most of the book. It isn't until about three quarters of the way through the book that her character begins to show some multi-dimensional characteristics that the reader can begin to relate to,and she really turns out to be the surprise character twist of the novel. Where the novel shines is with the character of Jack. He reluctantly agrees to go to the campground in order to pass his science class. More interested in drawing and keeping to himself, Jack undergoes a transformation to become a leader of sorts among the campground's inhabitants.As the story progresses, we see the characters grow and develop as they form unlikely friendships and become more comfortable with themselves.Lastly, I loved how the book was built around the facts of astronomy in general, and solar eclipses in particular (the author includes some informative endnotes on astronomy and also provides some helpful websites). Mass is very engaging and keeps the reader on their toes throughout the entire novel.
    • 5/5
      Ally, Bree, and Jack meet at the one place the Great Eclipse can be seen in totality, each carrying the burden of different personal problems, which become dim when compared to the task they embark upon and the friendship they find.
    • 3/5
      Ally loves living at the Moon Shadow campground in the middle of nowhere. Now thousands of people are coming to see a total solar eclipse. Bree hopes to become a fashion model, and has no interest in living in the middle of nowhere. Both their lives and their attitudes are about to change.